Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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448. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the additional weekly payment a young jobseeker aged 23-24 and aged 25 will receive under the proposed new rates for jobseekers allowance if they participate in Tús; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45795/13]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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454. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons under 25 years currently participating on the Tús programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45805/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 448 and 454 together.

The current minimum rate of payment on Tús and other DSP work placement programmes is €208 per week. This applies regardless of the age of the participant. Given the focus the Government has placed on expanding interventions in support of young unemployed people, I have indicated that a number of measures will be developed for inclusion in our Youth Guarantee plan that will be transmitted to the European Commission later this year. Among these is a commitment to increase the number of younger people participating in Tús to at least 1,000 and reserving at least 15% of the 3,000 places available on Gateway for under 26 year olds.

Tús had 794 persons under 25 participating in the middle of October 2013. The following table gives a breakdown of the number of participants on the payroll by age. The number of 25 year olds and under as a proportion of the Tús payroll in mid-October was about 12%. The breakdown of participants by age categories remained broadly stable throughout the year.